- April 20, 2024
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Johnny Hampton Jr., president of Flagler United Youth Basketball, tosses the ball to a player at a practice May 3 at Matanzas High School. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler United's ninth grade team poses with the trophy after winning its division at the Southeast Elite Showcase Battle of the Best tournament in Lexington, South Carolina, last month. Courtesy photo
Ben Gibson, a member of Flagler United's seventh grade team, gets set to shoot a free throw in a recent practice at Matanzas High School. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler United's original board: David Brown, Fred Atwood, Johnny Hampton Sr., Fitzgerald Belgrave and Johnny Hampton Jr. Courtesy photo
The current board members of Flagler United Youth Basketball: David Brown, Fred Atwood, Fitzgerald Belgrave, Johnny Hampton Jr. A Yankee cap sits on a table in deference to original board member Johnny Hampton Sr., who passed away three years ago. Courtesy photo
The Flagler United Youth Basketball high school girls team. Courtesy photo
The Flagler United Youth Basketball ninth grade team holds up the trophy after winning its division at the Southeast Elite Showcase Battle of the Best tournament in Lexington, South Carolina, last month. Courtesy photo
Flagler United board member and coach Fitzgerald Belgrave watches over seventh grade practice. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Terrell Jones, a member of the seventh grade team, prepares to shoot a free throw during a practice at Matanzas High. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Anthony Hampton, a player on the ninth grade team, surveys the defense during a practice at Matanzas High School earlier this month. Photo by Brent Woronoff
It was Johnny Hampton Sr.’s dream to start a youth basketball organization in Flagler County where kids could play AAU basketball without having to pay AAU prices.
Hampton and his son, Johnny Hampton Jr., used to pick up kids on weekends and take them to tournaments.
“In the summer we didn’t want kids doing nothing, so we would try to find travel leagues and we’d pay the bills,” Hampton Jr. said.
Other coaches were doing the same thing, so four years ago they got together to start Flagler United Youth Basketball. But because of Covid, they weren’t able to start forming teams and going to tournaments until 2021.
Hampton Sr., a long-time recreational league coach, died in February, 2020, about two weeks before Flagler United held its first tryout. But his dream flourishes. The organization now has eight teams involving about 85 kids. The teams range from 10-and-under boys to 17-and-under girls.
“It’s growing beyond our wildest dreams,” said Hampton, who is Flagler United’s president. “The first year we had five teams. We had seven girls that first year. This year we have almost 30 girls.”
The board of directors consists of Hampton, Fred Atwood, Fitzgerald Belgrave and David Brown.
Belgrave explained how he got involved.
“Me and Fred Atwood were taking kids out to play in travel tournaments,” Belgrave said. “Johnny and his father were doing that too, so we decided to combine our efforts.”
We don’t ever talk about winning. We focus on development, on and off the court.” — JOHNNY HAMPTON
Their teams have won 15 tournaments, Hampton said. The ninth grade boys team (16-and-under) won the Gold Bracket at the Southeast Elite Showcase Battle of the Best on April 28-30 in Lexington, South Carolina. One of Flagler United’s eighth grade teams came in second in the same tourney. That was the organization’s first out-of-state tournament.
The goal of the Flagler United is to get the players ready for high school basketball, but they teach life lessons along the way, Hampton said.
“Our focus is on coaching and ethical mentorship. We make sure they’re getting good grades, listening to their parents, staying out of trouble," Hampton said. "We don’t ever talk about winning. We focus on development, on and off the court — having a good attitude, being a good teammate, son and brother. And when the season ends, our relationship doesn’t end.”
Hampton said they’re able to keep rates low through fund raising and business sponsors.
“We do sponsor some kids,” he said. “No child is left behind.”
